MEET MY FRIEND 249 



Tibet and exchange for the wool and salt of that country. 

 They have also, it seems, to propitiate the Paijah of 

 Garhwal by annual offerings, in addition to the dues 

 paid to their legitimate ruler, the Rajah of Basahir. 

 Moreover, it often happens, in the upper -portions of the 

 valley, that the one annual crop yielded by the soil is 

 destroyed by an early winter ; when the miserable people 

 are frequently left dependent on the doubtful profits of 

 their trading and the produce of their flocks of sheep. 

 The struggle for existence is extremely hard, as the 

 wretched appearance of the people fully attests. 



I had sent my travelling kit on ahead some days before. 

 So, finding everything ready for a start, I walked out 

 of Simla before sunrise on the 2nd of May. I made 

 two marches, and slept at Theog. Next day I reached 

 Mattiana, having met on the way two Bhotias (Tibetans) 

 returning to their village near Chini. One of them had 

 been to Gartokh, in Tibet, three months ago. He told 

 me it was a seven days' journey from Shipki, and that he 

 had shot two wild yak on the way, and had seen many 

 Ovis ammon. According to his statement, a couple of 

 Europeans could travel anywhere beyond Shipki, without 

 hindrance ; he was quite positive on this point, and 

 volunteered to take me. A large party, he said, would 

 not be allowed. This was curious, as the experience of 

 every European who has attempted to cross into Tibet 

 has been just the reverse. I got this information out of 

 the Bhotia only after much questioning, as his intelligence 

 was limited. At Sarahan my friend M. of the Forest 

 Department came in — a most pleasant surprise, for, though 

 I was making for his headquarters on the Sutlej, I had no 

 hope of meeting him for some days. His Highness 

 Shamsher Singh, Eajah of Basahir, whose summer residence 

 is here, paid my friend a visit during the day, and was 



